How much rub?

[caelestis]

I smoked my first beef brisket last weekend. I've not worked with rubs before, but I'm an adventurous cook.

  After looking at some of the other posts on here I made up a rub recipe by browsing the spice drawer and deciding what would go well with mesquite smoke. I wetted the brisket with Worcestershire sauce, applied the rub to all the surfaces, let it sit for an hour or so and smoked it. All went well, except it seems that what looked like the same amount of rub y'all used on your projects was too much for mine. The brisket shrunk up as it cooked, and the spice layer got thicker. The outer layer of the brisket had too much dry smoked spices stuck on it, and required scraping with a knife before it could be eaten. Once scraped it was quite tasty, but that dry coating of spices was icky (and a waste).

How do you know how much rub to put on the meat?

--Kathy

 

[chef jimmyj]

Depends on how you are eating the meat. Sliced go light to avoid the situation you discovered. If you are going to Pull and mix the meat, go heavy as all the extra rub will be mixed into the unseasoned interior meat giving an overall balanced flavor. I like lots of Rub sliced or pulled so I go heavy either way. I am thinking your choice of ingredients and/or proportions were out of balance giving an unpleasant taste. What did you use and how much of each?

Here is a few examples of what I use...JJ

Mild Bubba Q Rub  (All Purpose)

1/2C Sugar in the Raw (Turbinado)

2T Sweet Paprika (Hungarian)

1T Kosher Salt

1T Chili Powder (contains some Cumin and Oregano) Ancho Chile is same without cumin, oregano etc.

1T Granulated Garlic

1T Granulated Onion

1tsp Black Pepper, more if you like

1/2tsp Grnd Allspice

For more heat add Cayenne or Chipotle Pwd to taste, start with 1/2tsp and go from there...

Run for the Border Rub

One for the Chili Heads!

2T Kosher Salt

2T Ancho Chile Powder

1T Chipotle Powder

1T Oregano, Mexican is preferred 

1T Gran Garlic

1T Gran Onion

1T Black Pepper

1T Cayenne

1-2tsp Gnd Cumin

1tsp Cocoa Powder

1/2tsp Cinnamon

Optional:

1T Tomato Powder

1/2C Turbinado Sugar (Sugar in the Raw)

Makes 3/4 to 1Cup Rub.

This stuff is HOT and full flavored with touch of Smokiness. Feel free to adjust the heat to your taste by playing with the amount of Chipotle and Cayenne Powder. All the ingredients except maybe the Tomato Powder is available at the Grocery Store. This stuff will also Kick Butt as the seasoning in a batch of Chili, leave out the Sugar...

Bubba Beef Rub

Good on anything Beef. Burgers and Steaks too!

2T Turbinado Sugar

2T Kosher Salt

2T Black Peppercorns

1T Coriander Seed

1T Dill Seed

1T Dry Minced Onion

1T Dry Minced Garlic

1tsp Allspice Berries

1tsp Mustard Seed

1tsp Dry Thyme Leaves

3 Bay Leaves, crumbled

1tsp Juniper Berries 

Add Cayenne if heat is desired.

All Spices are Whole and are toasted in a dry pan over Medium heat until fragrant. The Garlic and Onion do not need to be toasted.

Let the Spices cool then Grind in a cheapo Coffee Grinder until slightly less than Coarse. Mix with the Salt and Sugar. Store in an air tight container. Makes about a Half cup...

 

[shoneyboy]

 

[caelestis]

 
Depends on how you are eating the meat. Sliced go light to avoid the situation you discovered. If you are going to Pull and mix the meat, go heavy as all the extra rub will be mixed into the unseasoned interior meat giving an overall balanced flavor. I like lots of Rub sliced or pulled so I go heavy either way. I am thinking your choice of ingredients and/or proportions were out of balance giving an unpleasant taste. What did you use and how much of each?

I can't find the note I made now, but I think it was something like:

1T chili powder

1T onion powder

1/2T cumin

1 tsp salt

and a small amount of sugar, not sure how much.

I can't handle any spicy heat--the chili powder I used isn't hot, just flavorful. And the brisket wasn't very big, maybe 3#.

What you said about sliced vs pulled makes perfect sense. We ate the brisket sliced. Next time I'll decide in advance how it'll be eaten and apply rub accordingly. Thank you!!

 

[chef jimmyj]

There is nothing super unusual about your choice, having a heavy Southwest flavor. The only issue I see is, there is Cumin in Chili powder and then you added what I consider A LOT more Cumin, 20% of the total mix of spices. Large quantities of Cumin can be bitter and unpleasant. This may be what you found overwhelming about the heavy shot of Rub. You would still get a significant Cumin flavor with out the bitterness by reducing the Cumin to 1/2 teaspoon, 1/3 the amount you used, in that recipe. Other flavors that follow your profile and increase flavor would be adding Garlic Powder, a small amount,, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp, Mex Oregano and a Pinch of Cinnamon. You are on the right road. It is always better to make a Rub your way rather than paying for a ton of Salt from the commercial stuff. Good Job...JJ             

 

[oldschoolbbq]

If I might offer a suggestion , go simple.  Sea Salt , Cracked Pepper Onion and Garlic "powders". No trimming, no overnight to draw in the flavors.

Rub with moderate amt. of Salt followed by the same for the Cracked Black Pepper (Beef needs S&P) the other is for my liking... Use your imagination.

Place in a preheated 225*F Smoker with nice thin blue smoke coming out of the Exhaust , close the lid and leave it "CLOSED" until your Probe thermometer reads 190*F to 200*F , remove , carve and eat . Burnt Ends are a choice...

Oh,and all this with no water pan on wood burner , running Maple & Oak or Pecan and Mesquite.

Just my way to fly...

Have fun and .. .